Marvel (MVL) reported sales of $112.6 million and net income of $45.2 million or $0.58 per share, compared to $0.54 per share in Quarter One 2007. The stock closed Friday at $30.25 and, as of 10:30 a.m. (Pacific) today, it is up $2.10 or just under 7 percent. In addition, with its second self-financed and produced film The Incredible Hulk set for release by Universal on June 13, Marvel has finalized its upcoming slate, including firm release dates.

The Iron Man sequel will debut on April 30, 2010, with the trio of Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow and Terrence Howard intact, followed by the feature film debut of Thor about five weeks later. In the Stan Lee/Larry Lieber comic book version of this character from Nordic mythology, Thor's alter-ego is a disabled doctor named Donald Blake, and there has been a fair amount of speculation that Marvel wants professional wrestler Triple H, or Scottish actor Kevin McKidd, who made an impression in the HBO series Rome, to carry the hammer.

Then in 2011, Marvel will release The First Avenger: Captain America on May 6, which will be the start of that summer's lucrative box office season. No speculation yet about who might play the square-jawed lead. The final release announced today is The Avengers, which will bring together Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and, conceivably, the characters of Ant Man and Wasp for a July 4, 2010 spectacular.

This is a very bold lineup. With the exception of The Incredible Hulk next month, which remains a sketchy proposition given the lukewarm reception for Ang Lee’s version five years ago, Marvel has the makings of a box office juggernaut.